Nutrition and Cancer

It is important to handle food safely during cancer treatment. Recommendations include:

• Wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
• Wash fruit and vegetables well.
• Store food at the right temperature.
• Cooking food to safe internal temperature (meat, poultry and seafood should be thoroughly cooked).
• Choose pasteurized honey, milk and fruit juice; avoid raw or unpasteurized versions.
• Thaw meat, fish or poultry in the microwave or refrigerator (not on the counter).
• Eat thawed food right away and do not refreeze it.
• Keep your kitchen and food preparation surfaces clean.

Avoid significant diet changes or restrictions before or during treatment unless advised by a physician or dietitian. Eat foods you tolerate and enjoy while aiming for a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, protein and healthy fats.

People in active cancer treatment have higher protein needs. Try to eat a protein food at every meal and as snacks throughout the day.

It is okay if your diet looks different than usual. A dietitian can work with you to develop an individualized plan based on your symptoms.

Ask a member of your Cancer care team for a referral to a dietitian for an individualized plan that is tailored to your needs.

General tips to prevent weight loss during cancer treatment include:

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks every two to three hours.
• Drink calorie-containing liquids like milk, soy beverages, smoothies or nutrition supplements between meals.
• Choose high-calorie, protein-rich food and drinks.
• Eat your largest meal when you feel your best.

You can add extra protein and calories to your diet by:

• Adding a protein source at each meal and as snacks throughout the day.
• Choosing higher-fat milk, cheese, yogurt and sour cream.
• Adding butter or oil to potatoes, vegetables, pasta, rice and soups.
• Adding cheese to eggs, sandwiches, soups, stews, potatoes and casseroles.
• Adding nuts or seeds to cereal, yogurt, baked goods and salads.
• Adding avocado or mayonnaise to sandwiches, sauces and dips.
• Spreading nut butters on apple slices, celery sticks, toast and crackers, or adding them to smoothies.
• Using protein powder or shakes if you are unable to get enough protein through food.

Nausea and vomiting are serious symptoms of cancer treatment that can have a significant impact. The following strategies can help reduce nausea and vomiting:

• Take your anti-nausea medication as prescribed by your physician.
• Sit up for 30 to 60 minutes after eating.
• Suck on hard candies or lemon drops.
• Sip on small amounts of liquids often during the day.
• Eat small amounts often, every one to two hours.
• Avoid deep-fried and spicy foods and foods with a strong odour.
• On days when nausea is better, eat as much as you are able.

Tips to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration include:

• Keep a bottle or mug close at hand.
• Take small sips throughout the day.
• Adding flavour to your drinks, such as:
  • Watered-down juices or sports drinks
  • Flat ginger ale
  • Broths
  • Teas
• Try ice chips, popsicles or frozen fruit.
• Drink between meals if fluids make you feel full and limit your food intake.

Taste changes are a common side effect during cancer treatment. Food may taste different, unpleasant or have no taste at all. Try the folllowing strategies to help manage taste changes:

• Brush your teeth or use a mouth rinse before and after meals.
• Use plastic utensils and glass cookware instead of metal.
• Suck on sugarless lemon candies, mints and chewing gum.
• Add flavourful spices to food.

You can also try this mouth rinse recipe:

• Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of salt in 4 cups of water in a large jar.

Rinse every one to two hours if your mouth is dry or sore; otherwise, four to five times a day. Rinse right after meals or snacks. Make a new batch every day.

If taste changes affect your food intake, ask your Cancer care team to connect you with a dietitian to explore individualized strategies.

If you are experiencing opiod-induced constipation, dietary strategies are not a replacement for prescribed laxatives. Medication and dietary strategies can work together to support constipation management.

It is important to drink enough fluids, as this helps keep your stools soft. Try to drink at least eight cups a day, unless told otherwise by a health-care provider.

Eat foods that are high in fibre, such as vegetables, fruit, cereals, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Fibre adds bulk to stools and keeps bowels moving.

Natural food laxatives include prunes, prune juice, papayas, pears, apples, dried apricots and rhubarb.

Try to maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or underweight can increase the risk of recurrence.

Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and choose plant-based proteins and fats more often, such as soy, nuts, seeds and legumes.

Limit red meat to less than 18 ounces per week and avoid processed meats. Also limit foods that are high in sugar and salt.

Limit alcohol. Not drinking alcohol is best for cancer prevention.

Aim to meet your nutritional needs through diet alone. Avoid using supplements for cancer prevention.

Canadian Cancer Society — Eating well when you have cancer

This booklet includes tips on eating well after a cancer diagnosis, through treatment and during recovery. It provides ideas to help with symptoms and side effects that can affect eating.

Canadian Cancer Society — Nutrition for people with cancer

This section of the Canadian Cancer Society website includes nutrition information for people with cancer, including the importance of calories and protein, and practical ways to optimize these in your diet.

Canadian Cancer Society — Food safety

This section explains the importance of food safety and precautions you can take to reduce your risk of infection.

American Cancer Society — Nutrition for people with cancer

This resource offers nutrition information for people with cancer, including living well during treatment and through survivorship.

Nourish

Advice from dietitians working in oncology, including tips for eating well tips for different types of cancers. This resource also includes recipe ideas.

Advice for managing symptoms

Cancer Care Ontario — Managing symptoms, side effects and well-being

These guides include strategies to help manage symptoms and side effects such as constipation, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

BC Cancer — Nutrition handouts

This site has nutrition handouts for people receiving cancer care related to managing symptoms. They feature meal ideas, including high energy, high protein foods, smoothies, easy-to-chew recipes and low- or high-fibre diets. Some resources are available with Chinese and Korean translations.

Classes and workshops

ELLICSR Kitchen

This program supports people with cancer by providing skills and information to manage diet. It hosts healthy cooking demonstrations led by a wellness chef and a dietitian, and includes recipe ideas for different side effects.

Wellspring — Nourish program

Wellspring provides supportive care programs and services for anyone living with cancer. The Nourish program offers sessions on cancer and nutrition using current research to teach fundamentals of good nutrition for people with cancer. Workshops often include cooking demonstrations, food sampling and take-home recipes.

Survivorship

American Institute for Cancer Research

This site offers diet and lifestyle recommendations for cancer survivors, as well as ways to reduce cancer risk.

Dietitians of Canada — UnlockFood

This site offers general information on nutrition, food and healthy eating, including recipes, videos and interactive tools.

Dietitians of Canada — Find a dietitian

This site includes information on how to work with a dietitian and a directory to help you find a dietitian in private practice. Dietitians in private practice, grocery stores and in family physicians' offices can help with healthy eating and weight-loss goals after treatment.

Canada’s Food Guide

This nutrition guide from Health Canada provides guidelines for healthy eating.